Chemotherapy roller coaster

I couldn't find much in the male breast cancer discussion area, so I thought I'd try this one.

I am a 56-year-old male that was diagnosed in January of this year. Had a modified radical mastectomy in February, and am now in chemotherapy. I asked my oncologist for the most aggressive chemotherapy plan that he can provide, so he put me on a clinical trial of Herceptin (trastuzumab), Docetaxel (taxotere) and Carboplatin (paraplatin). I get this chemo cocktail once every three weeks, and the Herceptin alone and weeks two and three in between. Along with the chemo cocktail I get steroids and other stuff to prevent nausea. Because I have had no nausea at all (lots of stomach and intestinal rumblings, but no nausea), my blood chemistry stays pretty much up there, and I look reasonably healthy, my oncologist says that I'm doing excellent so far. In fact, the hair loss stopped before was complete. My kids now say that I look like the nutty Professor.

This chemotherapy regimen puts me on a three-week roller coaster ride. About a day after the three drug chemotherapy, things began to decline. My specific problem is serious muscular aches and pains, to the point of being debilitating. My oncologist says that this is normal. Massive amounts of ibuprofen and Tylenol have helped somewhat. But, when I reported how much of these drugs I was taking to my oncologist he indicated that I was way over the edge in terms of the quantities I was taking and has insisted that I cut back to a more reasonable level.

After about a week and a half of relative misery, things turn around to the point where I feel better for the second half, week and a half period.

All in all, I really am doing well. No complete hair loss, no nausea, no mouth problems and a supporting a loving family.

Here's the real question -- does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could specifically do in the second half of this three-week cycle, in terms of diet, exercise, vitamins, supplements, herbals, or anything else that would better prepare me for entering the downward part of the cycle again?

I am at the halfway point of the fourth cycle in a nine cycle plan. I did notice that things get a little worse in terms of aches and pains from cycle to cycle. The doc says that these effects should level off soon. I certainly hope so, because if they don't, after the seventh round of chemo I will be crawling into his office on my hands and knees.

Thanks for reading this. Best of luck to all of my fellow cancer survivors out there.